Climate Change

The climate of the Earth is always changing. As the debate over the implications of changes in the Earth's climate has grown, the term climate change has come to refer primarily to changes we've seen over recent years and those which are predicted to be coming, mainly as a result of human behavior. This book serves as a broad, accessible guide to the science behind this often political and heated debate by providing scientific detail and evidence in language that is clear to both the non-specialist and the serious student. Provides all the scientific evidence for and possible causes of climate change in one book Written by expert scientists working in the field Logical, non-emotional conclusions A source book for the latest findings on climate change

The climate of the Earth is always changing. As the debate over the implications of changes in the Earth's climate has grown, the term climate change has come to refer primarily to changes we've seen over recent years and those which are predicted to be coming, mainly as a result of human behavior. This book serves as a broad, accessible guide to the science behind this often political and heated debate by providing scientific detail and evidence in language that is clear to both the non-specialist and the serious student. Provides all the scientific evidence for and possible causes of climate change in one book Written by expert scientists working in the field Logical, non-emotional conclusions A source book for the latest findings on climate change

1;Front Cover;12;Climate Change: Observed Impacts on Planet Earth;43;Copyright;54;Contents;65;Foreword;146;Preface;167;Contributors;208;Introduction;249;Part I: Possible Causes of Climate Change;269.1;Chapter 1: The Role of Atmospheric Gases in Global Warming;289.1.1;1. Introduction;289.1.2;2. Origin of the Greenhouse Effect: 'Primary' and 'Secondary' Effects;299.1.3;3. The Physical Chemistry Properties of Greenhouse Gases;349.1.4;4. The Lifetime of a Greenhouse Gas in the Earth's Atmosphere;409.1.5;5. General Comments on Long-Lived Greenhouse Gases;429.1.6;6. Conclusion;439.1.7;Acknowledgements;439.1.8;References;449.2;Chapter 2: The Role of Widespread Surface Solar Radiation Trends in Climate Change: Dimming and Brightening;469.2.1;1. Introduction;479.2.2;2. Solar Radiation and its Measurement;479.2.3;3. Trends in Surface Solar Radiation or Global Dimming and Brightening;519.2.4;4. The Causes of Dimming and Brightening;579.2.5;5. The Influence of Solar Radiation Changes (Dimming and Brightening) on Climate;589.2.6;6. Conclusions;639.2.7;References;639.3;Chapter 3: The Role of Space Weather and Cosmic Ray Effects in Climate Change;689.3.1;1. Introduction;699.3.2;2. Solar Activity, Cosmic Rays and Climate Change;709.3.3;3. The Influence on the Earth's Climate of the Solar System Moving Around the Galactic Centre and Crossing Galaxy Arms;909.3.4;4. The Influence of Molecular-dust Galactic Clouds on the Earth's Climate;909.3.5;5. The Influence of Interplanetary Dust Sources on the Earth's Climate;929.3.6;6. Space Factors and Global Warming;939.3.7;7. The Influence of Asteroids on the Earth's Climate;959.3.8;8. The Influence of Nearby Supernova on the Earth's Climate;959.3.9;9. Discussion and Conclusions;969.3.10;Acknowledgments;989.3.11;References;999.4;Chapter 4: The Role of Volcanic Activity in Climate and Global Change;1029.4.1;1. Introduction;1029.4.2;2. Aerosol Loading, Spatial Distribution and Radiative Effect;1049.4.3;3. Volcanoes and Climate;1079.4.4;4. Summary;1239.4.5;Acknowledgements;1249.4.6;References;1249.5;Chapter 5: The Role of Variations of the Earth's Orbital Characteristics in Climate Change;1289.5.1;1. Introduction;1289.5.2;2. Astronomical Parameters;1299.5.3;3. Orbital-Induced Climate Change;1379.5.4;4. Conclusion;1459.5.5;References;14610;Part II: A Geological History of Climate Change;15010.1;Chapter 6: A Geological History of Climate Change;15210.1.1;1. Introduction;15210.1.2;2. Climate Models;15310.1.3;3. Long-Term Climate Trends;15410.1.4;4. Early Climate History;15610.1.5;5. Phanerozoic Glaciations;15710.1.6;6. The Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic Greenhouse;15810.1.7;7. Development of the Quaternary Icehouse;15910.1.8;8. Astronomical Modulation of Climate;16010.1.9;9. Milankovitch Cyclicity in Quaternary (Pleistocene) Climate History;16110.1.10;10. Quaternary Sub-Milankovitch Cyclicity;16210.1.11;11. The Holocene;16310.1.12;12. Climate of the Anthropocene;16310.1.13;13. Conclusions;16410.1.14;Acknowledgement;16410.1.15;References;16411;Part III: Indicators of Climate and Global Change;16811.1;Chapter 7: Changes in the Atmospheric Circulation as Indicator of Climate Change;17011.1.1;1. Introduction;17011.1.2;2. The General Circulation of the Atmosphere;17211.1.3;3. The Poleward Expansion of the Tropical Circulation;17411.1.4;4. The Decreasing Intensity of the Tropical Circulation;18011.1.5;5. Emerging Mechanisms;18011.1.6;6. Connection to Extratropical Circulation Change;18411.1.7;7. Outstanding Problems and Conclusions;18511.1.8;Acknowledgments;18611.1.9;Appendix: List of Abbreviations;18711.1.10;References;18711.2;Chapter 8: Weather Pattern Changes in the Tropics and Mid-Latitudes as an Indicator of Global Changes;19011.2.1;1. Introduction;19011.2.2;2. Observed Changes in Extra-Tropical Patterns;19111.2.3;3. Changes in Tropical Patterns;19511.2.4;4. Conclusion;20311.2.5;References;20411.3;Chapter 9: Bird Ecology as an Indica